Elizabeth Smart: 6 Years Later

The first month she was home, Elizabeth says she was eased back into her normal routine. Her parents told her she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to, like her chores. "Well, I wish they'd tell me that now," Elizabeth jokes.

From the beginning, Elizabeth says it was natural to be home. "It just kind of felt like I slipped right back in where I left off," she says. Elizabeth's parents, Ed and Lois, say they were surprised to find that Elizabeth could sleep through her first night home. Unlike Elizabeth, they had trouble falling asleep. "We kept checking to see that this was real," Ed says.

At school, Elizabeth says her old friends were able to go on as if everything was back to normal. However, she sensed that some people were unsure how to treat her at first. "I think when people still meet me today, people are not quite sure how to act. But it wears off pretty quick."